|
Synod Snaps is a weekly electronic source of news from your Synod staff. If you'd like to receive this weekly email, click here to subscribe.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| CURRENT NEWS and Upcoming Events
|
|
|
Tierra Nueva Underground Coffee Partnership
Thursday, July 24, 2008 (44 reads)
"Tattooed men with dark pasts are now local, underground artisan coffee roasters..."
 One of the partnerships featured at this year's Annual Synod Assembly meeting in June is with the Tierra Nueva Underground Coffee Project. Chris Hoke, Jail and Gang Chaplain with Tierra Nueva addressed the assembly along with some of the employees, and offered coffee for sale at their mission display. The work of Tierra Nueva is ecological, social, and spiritual.
Ecological: Beyond Certified Organics™
The Tierra Nueva Honduras community of growers is the fruit of a 25-year long grassroots movement in the district of Minas de Oro. TN promoters reach out to poor farmers in neighboring villages, teaching them how to grow this coffee and other basic grains without chemicals, how to protect rich topsoil, use biodiversity and tree planting – for shade-grown, bird-friendly crops such as this.
Social: Deeper than Fair Trade™
These growers are paid more for their beans than Fair Trade™ standards would require. We are looking for more than fair market trades: our mission is to invest lavishly in the communities of both the Central American farmers who grow the coffee and the local ex-offenders who roast and bag it here in the Pacific Northwest. Coffee is just one part of this larger movement for social renewal.
Read More |
|
A Once-in-a-Decade Opportunity
Tuesday, July 22, 2008 (30 reads)
 Have you ever considered making a pilgrimage to Oberammergau, Germany, a quaint little village in the Bavarian Alps, to see the world’s most famous and longest-running Passion Play?
The Rev. Erv Roorda and his wife, Andrea, are co-hosting an eleven-day trip to Alpine Europe in August of 2010. That may seem a long ways off, but tickets are selling fast to tour companies who are buying large blocks of tickets before they go on sale to the general public. This tour has been created by Nawas International Travel, a quality Christian tour provider since 1949. In the year 2000, Nawas got excellent seats and accommodations for over 16,000 Americans.
Read More |
|
Highlights from the Annual Synod Assembly Meeting, June 11-13
Wednesday, July 16, 2008 (32 reads)
The Synod Assembly gathered in Edmonds, Wash. for its annual meeting June 11-13, 2008 at the United Presbyterian Church of Seattle. The theme focused on “Partnerships: Walking/Dancing Together.” Here are some of the meeting highlights:
 Synod-Trustee Task Force
At the Synod Assembly meeting of 2007, the Assembly voted to have the Synod separately incorporate the Mission Development Certificate (MDC) program as an attached entity of the Synod. At this year’s Assembly meeting the Synod completed that work by adopting the Covenant between the MDC program and the Synod of Alaska-Northwest, and revising the By-laws and Articles of Incorporation. The Task Force recommended that the Synod of Alaska-Northwest be restated as a 501©3 Corporation with a new set of Trustees: the Synod Council.
Read More |
|
Mission Yearbook Bulk-Pricing
Tuesday, July 01, 2008 (0 reads)
 Have you placed your bulk order for the 2009 Mission Yearbook? Bulk pricing is available for as few as 25 ($6.00) and the price drops to below half ($4.50) for 100 or more copies. Details are included on the attached flyer. Orders must be postmarked by September 1 to take advantage of this special pricing! You will be receiving your yearbooks on or before October 31, 2008!
CLICK HERE to download the order form! |
|
MDC Announces New Small Loan Program
Friday, June 20, 2008 (115 reads)
 The Synod Mission Development Certificate Program has launched a new small loan program for churches in the Synod of Alaska-Northwest.
"I am excited that the program is now offering a small loan program designed specifically to help churches with those small building repairs or improvements," said Dean Mielke, Executive Director of the MDC program.
Churches may borrow up to $50,000 at a low fixed interest rate. The loan can be repaid in 5 years. There are no loan fees or penalties to repay the loan early. This is an ideal option for any church that needs to make repairs such as replacing a roof, repairing the heating systems, or making kitchen improvements. Read More |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|